Do a Google search for Basecamp, a web-based project management tool company, and you might see one or more ads for competitors show up in results above the actual company. Basecamp CEO and co-founder Jason Fried sounded off against the practice Tuesday, calling it a “shakedown” and saying it’s like ransom to have to pay …
Google’s paid search ads are a ‘shakedown’: Basecamp CEO Jason Fried Read More »
Many moons ago, in the shadowy darkness of the 1990s, a young Lewin visited his elder cousin. An adept AMOS programmer, he had managed to get his Amiga 500 to control an RC car, with little more than a large pile of relays and guile. Everything worked well, but there was just one problem — …
A 4G Rover And The Benefits Of A Shakedown Mission Read More »
Yesterday, Basecamp co-founder and CEO Jason Fried took to Twitter to criticize Google for allowing advertisers to bid on their competitors’ brand names: Via Twitter user @jasonfried. Here’s the crux of Fried’s argument: By allowing advertisers to bid on their competitors’ brand names, Google forces businesses like Basecamp—which sells a popular project management tool—to pay …
Is Google’s Competitive Ad Policy a ‘Shakedown’? Read More »
Inorganic SERPs A few weeks back Google introduced literally organic-free search results on mobile devices in the travel vertical. Google is now deepening that organic-free offering, announcing their new mobile travel guides would launch in 201 cities. If you live outside of the United States it can be hard to appreciate just how ad heavy …
